QUARTZ VALLEY INDIAN RESERVATION HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY

Transcription

1 QUARTZ VALLEY INDIAN RESERVATION HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY 1.1. POLICY: The primary purpose of Quartz Valley Indian reservation Higher Education Scholarship Grant policy is to provide and encourage all qualified Native American applicants with equitable treatment in regards to their respective application for the Higher Education funding. Funds are appropriated by Congress to aid qualified students who are in financial and feasible need; after all other sources are applied. All scholarship grants are not a right. 1.2 HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING RESTRICTIONS: a. The QVIR Higher Education funds shall only be used to supplement a student s financial aid needs. b. QVIR Higher Education funds shall only meet the unmet need after all other Sources have been utilized. c. All participating students must be enrolled and maintain full-time status in order be eligible for higher education funds. Exempted from this requirement are students who are finishing up on their respective degree requirements. d. Full-time status is defined as 12 credit hours or more for semester students, or 9 credit hours for quarter students. Students will automatically be placed on probation should they fall below full-time status. (ex. A student signs up for 12 semesters and only completes 9 credits for that semester). e. QVIR Higher Education funds may be used to attend summer school only for those students who are completing their degree requirements. f. QVIR Higher Education funds cannot be used for graduate degrees of any kind. g. QVIR Higher Education funds will only be used to fund students who are seeking to attain a bachelor s degree. (BA, BS, etc) h. All students must maintain a 2.0 grade point average or above. i. Failure to maintain full-time status or maintain a 2.0 GPA or above results in probation for one (1) semester following the infraction. Failure to resolve the problem by the subsequent semester shall result in loss of funding for a year or until the problem is resolved.

2 1.3 PERMISSION: On the QVIR Higher Education application, a student is required to sign a release form giving QVIR permission for the school/college to give grades or progress reports of student. 1.4 AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS: a. In order to determine the educational needs for the upcoming fiscal years. Please: Submit your application at least eight (8) weeks prior, to the first day of the semester. b. Based upon the availability of funds and financial needs, determined by the appropriate office. 1.5 FUNDING PRIORITIES: a. Continuing students in good standing. b. New students attending a college. c. Prospective students who are planning to attend a BIA-sponsored education institution. (i.e. Haskell, S.W. Indian Polytechnic Ins.) d. Any student who had previously participated in the Higher Education Programs but did not successfully complete a particular term, semester, trimester, etc. for reasons determined inexcusable by the Program Administrator/ Program Director. e. A Higher Education applicant seeking a postgraduate degree in their respective field of discipline. 1.6 APPLICATION PROCESS: Higher Education application will be mailed to interested participants who have contacted the QVIR office. QVIR Education staff will review all submitted applications for completeness within five (5) days. Those applications with missing information are sent a letter and informed that they have 30 days to submit the missing information (30 days from receipt or date of the letter). Completed information on a Higher Education Application (all applicants) High School Transcripts or GED (new applicants) Letter of Admission (new applicants and re-applicants, if they are transferring to another college.) Official College Transcript or Grade Reports (most recent completed semester or quarter-- re-applicants only) Maintain full-time Status in an Accredited College or University (re-applicants)

3 1.7 FUNDING AWARDS: An applicant is notified by mail, that they either has receive funding, have been placed on a waiting list, or have been denied funding. Within this correspond an explanation will be given for the decision. 1.8 EXPLANATION OF PRIORITY LIST: Re-Applicants (good standing): Students who submit an application to the program are given first priority for funding for re-applicants is determined by the date an application is completed. Those individuals not completing their application before the deadline will be placed on a waiting list. New-Applicants: Students who submit an application are placed on a funding list after re-applicants (in good standing). Again, funding priority is given to those students submitting completed application first. New applicants submitting completed applicant after the deadline are placed on the waiting list. Waiting List: The waiting list is composed of students who did not complete their application by the deadline. The list include both new and re-applicants. Funding priority for the waiting list is based on the date the application was completed. Individual who complete their applications first, after the deadline, receive funding priority. 1.9 YOUR FINANCIAL AID LASTS: (A) If your undergraduate degree of Certificate program requires four or fewer academic years, you may take extra years to complete the program but you must finish a degree in no more than five academic years. (B) If your undergraduate degree or certificate program normally requires more than four academic years, your may take extra years to complete the program, but your must finish a degree in six academic years. (C) The QVIR administrating the program may waive the time limits for hardships caused by special circumstances. (D) To remain eligible for continued funding, you must submit a grade report or transcript for each term to the QVIR APPLY AND DEADLINES OF APPLICATIONS: SEMESTER: Summer Fall Spring 1.11 MONITORING OF STUDENT: The Quartz Valley Indian Reservation Higher Education funds are a limited resource in high demand. A periodical monitoring will be conduct throughout the academic year.

4 The monitoring criteria are outlined below: A. If the student has successfully completed hi/her most recent term of study with Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or better. B. If the Student has maintained a full-time student status in a college or a university. If the student has successfully completed twelve (12) credits they are considered a full-time student. EXCEPTION: Summer school enrollment is six (6) credits, which is considered full-time status PROBATION AND SUSPENSION: aa. Students who do not meet these basic requirements (listed above) are placed on probation for one term (semester, quarter, etc.). bb. Students on probation are given an additional term to meet the minimum qualifications (listed above). If they do not meet them, by the end of the second term/ semester and they do not agree to meet the minimum qualification they may be suspended from the program. cc. Failure to maintain full-time status or maintain a 2.0 GPA, for two semesters, shall result in the loss of funding for one year or until the problem is resolved. dd. Students who have been suspended from the program are allowed to re-apply for higher education funding. HOWEVER: they must complete one full term of study independently, meet the entire minimum requirement before the QVIR Education Department will review their applications IF YOU WITHDRAWAL FROM SCHOOL: AA. You will be required to pay back any portion of the grant you receive if you, without mitigating circumstances, fail to enroll, withdraw or are expelled before the completion of a term. BB. Within ten days or your failure to enroll, withdrawal or expulsion you will be required to submit to Quartz Valley Indian Reservation Higher Education administrating the program: 1. The date of your failure to enroll, withdrawal, or expulsion; 2. A written statement with supporting documentation stating your reasons for a failure to enroll, withdrawal or expulsion including mitigating circumstances; and 3. A copy of your request to the Institution that all remaining grant funds are to be returned to QVIR Higher Education Program. CC. The QVIR will notify you in writing of arrangements to pay back the balance of funds based upon a Certificate of Agreement between you and the QVIR

5 The financial assistance will be determined in accordance to a percentage scaling system based on funding availability, recommended financial needs, and the number of Higher Education Recipients. Budget Breakdown Tuition/ Fees Books/ Supplies Living Expense Transportation Personal & Child Other The percentage in each category may decrease or increase, to provide assistance to more student members.